This invention relates to a satellite banking unit for use by drive-through bank customers to obtain transaction information and papers in advance of reaching a drive-through bank teller station, and particularly to a banking services staging unit positioned one or more car lengths away from the transaction window of a drive-through bank. More particularly, this invention relates to a banking services staging unit configured to provide banking information and dispense banking materials to occupants of vehicles waiting in line to use the drive-through bank teller station.
Conventional drive-through banking requires customers in vehicles to get in line, drive up to a bank teller station, and complete a transaction at the station. In addition to waiting for each driver ahead in line to complete their transactions, invariably it seems that the customer at the bank teller station forgot the appropriate for or envelope for completing the transaction. This necessarily involves additional delays for other people in line while the bank supplies the necessary form or envelope at the bank teller station. In some cases, it is necessary for the customer to leave his vehicle in order to reach the form or envelope being presented by the bank at the bank teller station.
A remote dispensing unit located to dispense banking materials to customers waiting in line to use a drive-through bank teller station and one or more car lengths away from the bank teller station would be a great convenience to customers. A dispensing unit adapted to greet customers and transmit information usable to enable the customers to complete their banking transactions more quickly and efficiently would be appreciated by banks and customers alike. Such a remote dispenser could assist customers by enabling the customers to obtain, understand, and prepare transaction forms in advance while waiting in line and before reaching the bank teller station.
According to the present invention, a banking services staging apparatus is provided for getting a banking customer ready to use a drive-through bank teller station. The staging apparatus includes a remote service unit separate from an adjacent drive-through bank teller station, means for sensing the presence of a vehicle positioned alongside the remote service unit, means for presenting a message to a vehicle detected by the sensing means, and means for dispensing banking service materials to an occupant of a vehicle positioned alongside the remote service unit and detected by the sensing means.
In preferred embodiments, the remote service unit includes a container and base means for supporting the container at an elevated position above a roadway. The container is situated in a location remote from an adjacent drive-through bank teller station so that the container is accessible to an occupant seated in a vehicle positioned alongside the remote service unit and detected by the sensing means. The sensing means is an infrared sensor mounted in the container and aimed at a vehicle positioned alongside the container. Also, the presenting means illustratively includes a speaker mounted on the container for providing the transmission of a recorded message to the person in the vehicle alongside the container.
In use, upon approaching the remote service unit, a vehicle occupant first sees a backlit display panel on one side of the container bearing a message provided by the bank. The message could be marketing information, civic or public service announcements, or third party advertisements or the like. An infrared sensor recognizes the approach of an individual vehicle and triggers an audio message provided by recorded audio chips with client- supplied script when the vehicle is alongside the staging apparatus.
The remote service unit provides for one-handed operation of an envelope/form dispenser by the occupant of a vehicle positioned alongside the container, thus allowing the occupant of the vehicle to reach the required materials easily. Being remotely located one or more car lengths from the drive-through bank teller station, the occupant has time to read, understand, and prepare the materials for the transaction while waiting in line, rather than trying to accomplish all of those activities while waiting alongside the drive-through bank teller station, thereby saving time and aggravation for the occupants of other vehicles waiting in line.
In a preferred embodiment, the container is joined to a lower base support by a break-away swivel mounting. The break-away swivel mounting includes a circular mating section attached to the upper container part. This circular mating section fits into a rectangular mating section formed by the lower support part and is fastened thereto by use of frangible bolts. In the event that the remote service unit is struck by a vehicle, the break-away swivel mounting minimizes damage by allowing the upper container part to rotate without twisting or breaking the lower support part.
Other features of the staging apparatus include a lockable lid which rotatably opens to allow easy access by the bank personnel to restock the supply of banking materials or to change the message in the display panel. When closed, the lid cooperates with the container to form a means to vent heat from the interior of the container part. The staging apparatus also includes a neon light inside the container to backlight the message in the display panel and, through an aperture in the bottom of the upper container part, shine light around the base for security and appearance. It will be understood that a satellite banking unit in accordance with the present invention advantageously provides a means for dispensing banking materials in advance of reaching the bank teller station and by allowing easy access to those materials by placing them, and a pen for filing them out, at vehicle window level, obviating the need to get out of the vehicle to reach the materials.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.